History Nebraska Blog

Lazy Days of Summer

Are you enjoying your summer as much as the boys in this photograph? This image was captured in about 1915 by Emanuel Wolfe. Surprisingly, Wolfe was not a professional photographer. He owned and operated a successful dry goods business with his brother in Neligh, Nebraska. Photography was his hobby and passion. Wolfe used his camera to chronicle his life, family and the community of Neligh.

History Nebraska holds over 2,300 of Wolfe’s original glass plate negatives, many of which are just as spectacular and charming images as this image. Unfortunately, much of Wolfe’s collection is undocumented and unidentified. The boy on the right appears in several photographs and might be Wolfe’s son, Wayne. So, what is your best Nebraska summer memory?